Gas-arc torch



June 14, 1949.

E. F. POTTER GAS-ARC TORCH Filed Dec. 20, 1946 n4 t uw ..0 .e mpgm WFM@emwt ve/MA nr Ie v E H Patented `lune 114, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE General Electric New York Company, a corporation of ApplicationDecember 20, 1946, Serial No. 717,539

/ 9 Claims.

My invention relaties` to arc welding apparatus and more particularly toan electrode holding gas nozzle or torch for gas-arc welding operations.

In gas-arc welding operations, a gaseous atmospl'iere of desired`character isy supplied to and .about themwelding arc and the portionsofthe work rendered molten thereby. 'lfhe arc may be establishedbetweeny a plurality of electrodes or between an electrode and the work.

In torches of the kind referred to, it is desirable to supply Weldingcurrent to the electrode therein at a point close'lyadjacent its arcing`terminal in order toy increase the current carrying capacity of theelectrode and thereby, reduce the size and weight ofthe torch.v Thecurrentfrcarrying capacity .ofthe electrode may be further increased bysuitable uid coolingmeansassociated therewith. It is also. desirable insuch torches tor insulate the top portion ofthe nozzleso that the arccannot be established between the tip and the' workl or strike over fromthe electrode to the' tip and then to the work. Furthermore, the tip,being closely adjacent theA point of welding `and subject to thegreatheat of the arc aswell as to the effect offweld spatt'er, mustkbefrequently:V replaced with a new or reconditioned tip. inorder to keepthe torch in the best operating condition. It is, consequently,desirable to constructfthe torch so that its tip portionmay be readilydetached and replaced whenever it has become damaged or so badly worn.that a new tip is required if` the torch as a whole is to continue tofunction satisfactorily.

Itis an object of my invention'to provide a gas-arc torch of new andimproved construction.

It is a further. object of my invention to. provide a gas-arc torchhaving a tip which may be readily detachedrfrom the nozzle body andreplaced With a new or reconditioned tip whenever conditions requiresuch renewal thereof.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a gas-arc torch havingfluid cooled electrode holding jaws located closely adjacent the arcingterminal oi, the electrode supported thereby and enclosed withintherenewable tip portion of a nozzle structure which encloses the electrodeholder andl supplies gasto the arcing terminal of the electrodesupported therein.

Further lobjects of my invention will become apparent from aconsideration yof` the embodiments thereof illustrated in theaccompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. l is a perspective view showing a gas-arc torchrvembodying my invention;

VFig. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating thestruci-.mal` details V'or theV torch illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig.. 3is a sectional view of a. modification of my invention.

The gas-arc torches illustrated in the drawing comprise a nozzleassembly embodying a renewable and readily detached tip which iselectrically insulatedy from the body portion of the nozzle. '.lhisnozzle assembly completely encloses an electrode holder having Watercooled jaw members located Within its tip near the arcing terminal ofthe electrode supported in the electrode holder and having its arcingterminal projecting through the gas discharging opening in. the nozzletip. The javi/'members of the holder are supported ,on coextensivetubular members extending lengthwise of the nozzle and through whichcooling yfluid is supplied for cooling the. jaw members. These tubularmembers are mounted on a support which also acts as a support for thenozzle assembly. Means Within the nozzle are provided for holding thebody portion and tipv portion: of the nozzle in assembled relationship.Means are `also provided for supplying electricity tothe jaw members,cooling uid to the tubular suport o members for these jaw members, andgas to the interior of the nozzle assembly.

The torch illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the type used forestablishing a Welding arc between an electrode i vand the work 2 whilesupplying about the arcing terminal of the electrode andthe portionsofthe work rendered molten thereby, a supply of gas through the'agencyof a nozzle 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, nozzle 3 comprises a cylindrical body portion 4having at one end a threaded gas-tightconnection With the endy of acylindrical support 5 and having at its other end, inturned portionsforming a gas-tight seating surface Bfor the outer tapered Wall of anelectrically nonconducting conical bushing l. This conical ,bushing igalso provided with a conically tapered inner Wall forming a gas-tightconnection with the correspondingly tapered inner end of a nozzle tip 8.The conicaly bushing 'l and nozzle tipV 8 arel held in assembledrelationshipl with theirv tapered seating surfaces nesting one Withinthe other and with the nozzler tip 8 exi tending through the nozzle body4 by means vof a `washer 9and a' cylindrical sleeve ll'lwhich engage theinside Wall ofthe nozzle body 4. Washer 9 and sleeve Il!Y are of,electrically nonconducting material and are held in the assembledrelationship shown, with Washer 9 engaging the inner ends of a conicalbushing 1 and nozzle tip 8, by means of y the pressure exerted on sleeveI0 by reason of its engagement with the inner end of the nozzle .Support5.

e nozzle support 5 and the body portion 4 and tip portion 8 of thenozzle 3 are made of metal and the nozzle tip is electrically insulatedfrom the nozzle body and its support by means of the conical bushingwasher 9 and sleeve i6, all oi which, as has been previously noted, areformed of electrically insulating material. Since the bushing l' issubjected to considerable heat, it is preferably formed of some ceramicmaterial. The Washer t and sleeve it, on the other hand, being moreremoved from the heat of the arc, may be i'ormed of some otherinsulating material, such as fiber or the like.

The nozzle assembly just described encloses an electrode holder havingjaw members II located within the nozzle tip 8 and supported at the loopends oi a pair of metallic tubes I2 formed into cocxtensively andclosely spaced ilattened loops extending lengthwise of the nozzle bodyand of the nozzle tip. These tubular members I2 project from the nozzlesupport 5 and have their ends mounted on the inner end thereof with thepassageways through said tubes connected respectively with the supplyand exhaust headers I3 and Ill extending transversely of the support 5.Cooling fluid is furnished to the supply and exhaust headers i3 and lllthrough pipes I5 and I6 which are connected at their ends with hoses Ilwhich in turn are connected to a source of fluid supply and to adischarge space for the fluid supply.

The torch is supported by means of a lug I8 which is welded or otherwiseattached to the pipes l5 and IIS and provided with an opening for a boltI9 which secures the lug I8 to an insulating member 2d mounted in theend oi a support arm 2l. Welding current is supplied to the electrode ithrough a cable 22 having its terminal lug secured in engagement withthe torch lug I8 by means of lthe bolt I9. Lug I8, pipes I5 and I6,

nozzle support 5, tubular members I2, and jaw-s II are all formed ofmetal so that the connection made at the torch support with the supplyof welding current completes an electrically conducting connectionbetween this supply and the electrode I held within the electrode holderoi the torch by the jaw members II thereof.

The torch support 5 is provided with an electrode passageway 23 whichforms a gas-tight connection about the electrode I and extendslengthwise through the support 5 in registry with the electrode engaging`surfaces of the jaw members I i. These jaw members are held inengagement with the electrode I by reason of the natural resiliency ofthe tubular members I2. The clamping action of these members on theelectrode may, however, be reinforced by a spring means 24 extendinglengthwise of the tubular members having its inner end looped around onebranch -of each of these tubular members and having its outer endsengaging the jaw members I I at points near their center and locatedbetween the looped ends of these :tubular members which are attached tothe jaw members Il by means of welding or some other suitable means.

Gas is supplied to the interior of the nozzle assembly through apassageway 25 in the nozzle support 5 which is connected lthrough a tube26 to a hose 2l which in turn is connected to a suitable supply of gas.For inert arc welding, this supply of gas may be some suitable inertgas, such as helium or argon, but it is, of course, apparent that othersuitable Supplies of gases may be used depending on the weldingoperation to be performed with the gas-arc torch illustrated.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 may bel modified in. the mannerillustrated in Fig. 3. n this figure, the nozzle body 4 and nozzle tip 8are held in assembled relationship by means of a coil spring 26 one endof which engages the inner end of the nozzle support 5 and the other endof which engages and forces a washer 29 into engagement with the innerends of the conical bushing 'I and nozzle tip 8. The washer 29 is madeof some insulating material, such as fiber, in order completely toinsulate the nozzle tip from the nozzle body, which are insulated fromone another along .their seating surfaces by forming, as in Fig. 2, thebushing 'l of some insulating material, such as a ceramic. It will alsobe noted in Fig. 3 that the electrode holding jaws Ii are held inengagement with the electrode I through the agency of a spring means 3i]which reinforces the resiliency of the tubular members I2 as does thespring 24 in Fig. 2. The spring means 30 comprises a helicalconstriction spring which is fitted over the cylindrical outer walls ofthe jaw members I I and which by its constricting force thereon forcesthese jaw members to make a good electrical connection with theelectrode therebetween. It is understood, of course, that in Fig. 3, asin Fig. 2 the nozzle body 4 and nozzle tip 8 are formed of metal and, byreason of the insulating washer 29, the spring 28 may also be formed ofmetal. As in Fig. 3, welding current is supplied to the jaw members IIthrough tubular members I2, which are formed of metal and are attachedat their looped ends to the jaws Il b-y welding or brazing or some othersuitable connecting means.

In both of the illustrated embodiments of my invention, whenever itbecomes necessary to replace a damaged tip portion 8 ci 'the nozzle, thebody portion 4 thereof may be disassembled from its support 5 and thenozzle tip 8 then disengaged `from its connection with the nozzle body 4by moving it lengthwise through the support end of the nozzle body 4. Anew nozzle tip may then be inserted in the nozzle body and the assemblycompleted with the parts in the positions illustrated in the drawing.The electrode may be fed through the jaw members H as it is consumed bythe welding arc by taping its end which projects through the nozzlesupport 5.

By fluid cooling the jaw mem-bers II which are located closely adjacentthe arcing terminal of the electrode and within the nozzle tip 8, thetorch will operate at a lower temperature for a given welding currentnew than it would without the cooling effect of the tubular members I2,and the Size and weight of the torch may correspondingly be reduced.This is an item of great importance in machine welding as illustratedand of greater importance where the torch is to be used for manual arcwelding since if the torch is heavy and cumbersome the operator will befatigued and consequently less able to perform a satisfactory weldingoperation. For` manual arc welding, the tubes I5, IG and 525 will beenclosed within a handle which may be gripped and held .by the hand ofthe welding operator, and welding current may be supplied to the tubesI5 and IIS through conductors enclosed within hoses I'l in accordancewith an arrangement such as shown in U. S. Letters Patent 2,307,553,Irving F. Weller, January 5, 1943. In fact, by using a pair of angularlydisposed nozzles, such as illustrated in the drawing, and by supplyinghydrogen thereto, it is possible to provide an atomic hydrogen torch,another form of which is illustrated in the above referred to Wellerpatent.

other-modidcatrons'wd usesprmydmproved gas-'aro torch wil1oecurftothseiskillediindhe artin viewcfthefpar-ticular arrangements'iiillis-itrated and' des' cribe'd I ainijthereforen the ape pended claims tocover 'all `'s'uch-@modiilcationsas 'fall within the"true"spiritandsco'pebf my ine vention.-

WhatA I claiml as newand "desireto secure' 'by Letters Patent of ytheUnited Statesii's 1. A gas-arc'torch comprisingff'asupport,-anoze zlevbody having one'end `inountec'lon dndfforming a gas-tight"connectionwithsaid Isupport "and having "therein va seating"surface'taperin'g toward its vother end, a nozzleitip extending throughand beyond said!nozzlefbodylandihavinga discharge opening in its'projecting 'f out'er-""e'ndI andi atI its innery enda seating-surfacenesting wthinandtapered Ato form a gas-tight-conneetin=withthe taperedIseating surfaceo'fi said nozzle'bodymeans port andthe innerendifpo-tion-of saidnozzle tip" for holding saidl-nozzleitip vand 'saidnozzle bo'dy in assembledrelaftion'slriip with fsaid" tapered seating`V`Vsurfacesr nesting one withifnithe Y*other and said nozzle tiplextending thro'u'ghfandfb'eyond said nozzle body,anelectrode"hdlderfwithin said nozzle body f and said -nozzleftirand"having jaw memberswhich rpositionsan electrodeflength; wise lof -saidnozzle tip @wi-thhits; areing''- `terminal extending Ithrough said-ldischarge-1 opening? atsits outer end, means f for v'mourlit'irig'saidelectrode holdert onvsaid support andi-.for supplying-elec tricityto said jaw members;fandxheans'lafori supi. ply-ing gas r to said-Inozzle" body.

2. A gas-arc-tor'ch comprisingfa; supper-maranoz-li f zle body havingone endvmounted ona'nd formey ing a gas-tight connection'withsaidfsupport/and having therein a seating surface tapering:1 toward itsother' end,l a nozzlelftip extendingthrcughand beyond said 1 nozzlebodyfand'v-:having-"a discharge openingr in its projecting-out'er=endi:andi;atfits inner end -a seatingisurfacefnestingzwithinan'dtapered-to *l formv` a gasetightf connection' with'4 the!tapered-seating surface-of saidnozzle-fbodygimeans within saidv nozzlebodyand4 engaging-isaid supe port and the-finnerendfportioniofsaidmozzleitip forvr holding said-- nozzleftip' fand Said." nozzlelbodyin ass'embled'relationship withf'said taperedseate ing surfaces nestingYonewith'inthe` other andsaid nozzle tipyextending 'throughi fand' lbeyond .'sai'd nozzle -body-, an'` felec'trod'e f'holde 2.-:vext'endingthrough :said -no'zzle body "i and! -fvfsa-ifdnozzle^-lf tip and havingin saidi'fnozzlefltipfadiacentririts charge' openingjawflmembers whichpositions an electrode lengthwise of said nozzle tip with its arcingterminal projecting :through the dischargeopen-ing in saidfnozzle`tipiUmeanszu-for mounting said electrode holdercon-:saidfsupport and forsupplying electricity tosaid jaw members, and means for supplying gastosaid nozzle 3. `A gas-arc torchA comprising a supporha nozzle bodyhaving oneendmounted on andzformingfa gas-tight connectionfwithfisaidsupportlzand havingdtherein aseating surface', taperingrtoward its otherend, a conical bushing engaging said seating surface in said nozzle bodyand having correspondingly tapered inner and outer wall portions withits outer wall taper corresponding with and forming a gas-tight t withsaid tapered seating surface of said nozzle body, a nozzle tip extendingthrough and beyond said nozzle body and having a discharge opening inits projecting outer end and at its inner end a seating surface whichengages and is tapered to form a gas-tight ito iltivith' the" innertapered-surface cffsaid conical biishin'g'; means withinl sai-d nozzlebody and en= gaging said support andY the inrierf ends "of Asaidcoriicall*bushing-"and:said nozzle-v tip for pressing saidlv bushing ands`aid-nozz1eftip` intolv nesting en` gagementwitlr one anotherandlthetapered seating-surfacepf said nozzlefbody,-an' electrode holderwithin said nozz1e-bo`dy and said nozzle tip? and having jaw imembe'rs'which i positions" an electrode lengthwise fof r`saidnozzle' tipiwithits arcing terminalA extending through said discharge open'ingatitsouter'end; means for mounting ysaid electrode holder on said supportland for 'supply inge1ectricity*to said jaw members; :and `meansfori-supplying gasito vsaid 4nozzle body.l

4.--A'gas1arc1torchlcomprising a supportjma nozzle'boidy-having oneend'mounted on and -formingifa lgas-'tight connection-with said supportand"`having` therein aI Vseatin'gvsurface taper--z ingfftoward f-its'other" end;v a vconical bushing engaging* said Vseating `surface inpsaidI noz'- zle' bodyan'd" having correspondingly vtapered innerv andouter *Wallfportions lwith its outer -wall taper"corresponding` lwithand forming vla gastight'titwith 4vsaid tapered/seating surface of saidnozzlebodyy-a nozzle tipextending through and-'beyondf's'aid nozzle bodyand-having a dischargeI opening inA its projecting" outer Jend andatitsinnerv enda seating' surface which engages andWis-tapered to formagas-tight vfit'with the th-'ihnertaperedsurface `of said conical bush'-ing',` vmeans Within"`-said`nozzlev body and of sufflcient"widthtoengage'itherinner endsA of v'said conical kbushing and said'enozzletipand press thein' into'n'esting engagement with'lone another and vthetapered seating 'surface'of saidnozzle body; 'a yspring "coil locatedwithin said nozzle body'and acting o'n said support# and said lastmentionedI means; an'electrode holder Within 'said nozzle'body'and saidnozzle tip and hav-ing jaw members* which` position an electrode4lengthwise ofs'aid nozzle tip withA its arcing terminal extending"through'said E discharge opening at-its outer end; means-'for `mountingsaid electrode holder 'on vsaid supp'ort-and-for supplying electricityto saidjaw members," and means for supplying-*gas 'to` said nozzlebody.`

5. gas-'arc torch comprising an electrically conducting' support; anAelectrically conducting 4nozzlebody havingone end in 'electrically'conductingm engagement with'and mounted onand forming'a gas-tightconnection VWith said support and' 'having' itsothe'r enditurnedlinwardly. to l*forni 'a' tapereds'eat, an'electrically nonconducting"conical `bushingengaging said seating surface insaid nozzle bodyandhaving correspondingly tap'eredii'nner and outer'wall portions; theouter Wall-taper "corresponding Vwith vand forming a gas-tight' fit*Witl'r the inwardly taperedseat of 7s'ai`d"nozzle body;V an electricallyconducting nozz1e"tipexten'ding `through and beyondsaid lnozzle bodyIandhaving a discharge opening in'its projecting'.v outer endand'a aredinner end nested Within Yandtaperedto forma gasetight t with the*inner'tapere'd'seatr of said conical bushing, electricallyv-`nonconducting means-within said nozzle'bodyand" engaging said supportand the flared end portion'ofsaid' ynozzle tip to =hold `said nozzle tipand said nozzle body in assembled relationship with said nozzle tipextending through and beyond said nozzle body and its flared inner endnested within said tapered seat of said nozzle body, an electrode holderextending through said nozzle body and said nozzle tip and having insaid nozzle tip adjacent its discharge opening jaw members whichposition an electrode lengthwise of said nozzle tip with its arcingterminal projecting through the discharge opening in said nozzle tip,means for mounting said electrode holder on and in electricallyconductive engagement with said support, means for supplying electricityto said support, and means for supplying gas to said nozzle body.

6. A gas-arc torch comprising a support, a pair of coextensive andresilient tubular members mounted on said support and projecting in thesame directions therefrom, a pair of opposed electrode holding jawsrespectively mounted on the projecting ends of said tubular members andheld in engagement with an electrode inserted therebetween by theresiliency of said tubular members, a nozzle having an open tip and agas-tight connection with said support, said nozzle enclosing saidtubular members and said jaws so that an electrode located between saidjaws extends through the open tip of said nozzle, means for supplyingelectricity to said jaws, means for supplying cooling uid through saidtubular members, and means for supplying gas to said nozzle.

7. A gas-arc torch comprising a support, a pair of coextensive tubularmembers mounted on said support and projecting in the same directionstherefrom, a pair of opposed electrode holding jaws respectively mountedon the projecting ends of said tubular members for engaging oppositesides of an electrode extending lengthwise thereof, spring meansengaging said jaws and biasing them toward one another and intoengagement with an electrode therebetween, a nozzle having an open tipand a gas-tight connection with said support, said nozzle enclosing saidtubular members, said jaws and said spring means so that an electrodelocated between said jaws extends through the open tip end of saidnozzle, means for supplying electricity to said jaws, means forsupplying cooling uid through said tubular members, and means forsupplying gas to'said nozzle.

8. A gas-arc torch comprising a support having therein supply andexhaust headers for cooling fluid and having therethrough a longitudinalpassageway for an electrode, a pair of coextensive tubular membersmounted on said support, projecting therefrom, and having thepassageways therethrough connected between said supply and exhaustheaders in said support, a pair of electrode holding jaws respectivelymounted on the projecting ends of said tubular supports for engagingopposite sides of an electrode extending lengthwise thereof and inregistry with said electrode passageway through said support, springmeans engaging said jaw members and biasing them toward one another andinto engagement with an electrode therebetween, a nozzle forming agas-tight connection with said support and having a discharge opening inits tip, said nozzle enclosing said tubular members, said jaws and saidspring means so that an electrode located between said jaws extendsthrough the discharge opening in the tip of said nozzle, means forsupplying electricity to said jaws, means for supplying cooling fluidthrough said headers in said support and through said tubular members,and means for supplying gas to said nozzle.

9. A gas-arc torch comprising a metallic support having therein supplyand exhaust headers for cooling fluid and having therethrough alongitudinal passageway for an electrode and another passageway for gas,a metallic nozzle body having one end mounted on and forming a gas-tightconnection with said support and having therein a seating surfacetapering toward its other end, an electrically nonconducting conicalbushing engaging said seating surface in said nozzle body and havingcorresponding tapered inner and outer wall portions with its outer walltaper corresponding with and forming a gas-tight fit with said taperedseating surface of said nozzle body,

- a metallic nozzle tip extending through and beyond said nozzle bodyand having a discharge opening in its projecting outer end and at itsinner end a seating surface which engages and is tapered to form agas-tight connection with the inner tapered surface of said conicalbushing, electrically nonconducting means Within said nozzle body andengaging said support and the inner ends of said conical bushing andsaid nozzle tip for holding said conical bushing, said nozzle tip andsaid nozzle body in assembled relationship with said tapered seatingsurfaces nesting one within the other and said nozzle tip extendingthrough and beyond said nozzle body, a pair of metallic tubes formedinto coextensive and closely spaced flattened loops which extendlengthwise of said nozzle body and said nozzle tip and each of which hasits ends mounted on and in electrically conducting engagement with saidsupport with the passageway therethrough connected respectively withsaid supply and exhaust headers in said support, a pair of metallicelectrode holding jaws mounted within said nozzle tip on and inelectrically conducting engagement with the loop ends of said tubes,said jaws being located on opposite sides of an electrode extendinglengthwise of said nozzle body and said nozzle tip in registry with theelectrode passageway through said support, spring means engaging saidjaw members and biasing them toward one another and into engagement withan electrode therebetween, means connected with said support forsupplying electric current thereto and through said tubes and said jawsto an electrode engaged by said jaws, means for supplying cooling fluidthrough said headers in said support and through said tubes, and meansfor supplying gas to said nozzle body and nozzle tip through said gaspassageway n said support.

EVERETT F. POTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,184,335 Chapman Dec. 26, 19392,216,564 Chapman Oct. 1, 1940 2,306,050 Frischmann 1 Dec. 22, 19422,376,265 Meredith May 15, 1945

